Page 40 of The Boss's Hideaway Baby

“Yep,” I grumble, picking at my salad. “But somehow, with her, it just… happened.”

Corey studies me for a moment, his brow furrowed. “You think maybe this is a turning point for you? That you’re finally ready to get involved with someone?”

My jaw clenches involuntarily. “No!” I snap, perhaps too forcefully. “I don’t have time for that, and I’ve never been interested in pursuing a relationship. And she knows that. At least I’m honest about it.”

“All right, all right.” He raises his hands defensively. “I just thought maybe Maria was different. She’s smart, talented, and from what I’ve seen, she can handle your moods better than anyone.”

“Corey, drop it,” I warn him, the knot in my stomach tightening.

“Fine.” He takes a sip of water, clearly trying to change the subject. “How did you guys even end up in Montauk? Why’d you pick that place?”

“It’s her family cabin.” I rub my temples, trying to fight off an oncoming headache. “But we managed to avoid the people who were after me, and now we’re back to business as usual.”

“Sounds like quite the adventure.” He studies me, almost like he’s looking for a hint of the man he used to know.

“More than you’ll ever know,” I mutter, my mind drifting back to that night with Maria, her body pressed against mine, her lips tasting of the salty sea air.

“Hey.” Corey snaps his fingers in front of my face. “You still with me?”

“Sorry.” I shake my head to clear my thoughts.

“I can tell you’re thinking of her. Maybe you should?—”

“No,” I interrupt. “I can’t. That’s out of the question.”

He looks disappointed, like he wants to say more. There’s nothing else to be said, though. I know who I am, and if Maria and I were to take a go at a real relationship, I would just screw it up. I’m too much like my dad. My work ambitions come first, and I’m just not willing to compromise for someone else. It’s that simple.

Yet as we finish our lunch, I can’t help but feel unsettled, wondering if Corey is right about Maria being a turning point in my life. But I refuse to let my emotions get in the way of logic. I’ve made my choice, and now I have to live with it — no matter how much it hurts.

“How much did you share with Maria?” Corey asks out of the blue, his brow furrowing with concern. Just a moment before, we were talking about inflation, but obviously the Maria thing has stayed on his mind the whole meal.

“I was upfront with her from the beginning. We both agreed that neither of us makes a habit of getting into close romantic relationships. We’re similar in that way.”

Corey sighs, clearly disappointed. “That’s a shame,” he says. “I know Maria well enough from work, and I really think you two would make an amazing match.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I’m speechless. But then my defenses kick in, and I shake my head. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s just not possible. I can’t let my emotions get in the way of logic.”

As we leave the restaurant and begin walking back to the office, I find myself feeling more unsettled than ever. My thoughts are consumed by Maria — her warm smile, her intelligent eyes, the way she seemed to understand me better than almost anyone else. And yet, the thought of pursuing a relationship with her is terrifying.

As I approach the office building, I’m torn between wanting to see Maria at her desk and hoping that she’ll be gone — still out on lunch or some errand, anything to keep me from having to face her. But as fate would have it, she’s right there, sitting at her desk, typing away as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

My heart leaps into my throat at the sight of her, and I have to force myself to keep walking. This is what I wanted, after all — for things to go back to normal, for Maria to move on and forget about our brief time together.

“Hello.” She nods at me, the movement tense. “How was your lunch?”

“Fine,” I manage to say, swallowing hard. “Just catching up with Corey.”

“Sounds nice.” Her brown eyes meet mine for a brief moment before she returns to her work.

I continue on to my office, struggling to keep my composure. It’s clear that Maria is doing her best to be professional, and I know I should do the same. But seeing her, hearing her voice — it’s like a siren song, calling me back to her even as I try to resist.

I close the door behind me and lean against it, my heart pounding. I need to get ahold of myself.

Especially considering what I’m about to do.

I’ve been putting it off for the last couple of days, what with the frenzy of getting back into work and dealing with the aftermath of the attempted kidnapping. Now, though, I shouldn’t wait any longer.

Taking a deep breath, I push away from the door and open it once more. “Maria, could you join me in my office for a moment?”

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